Diaphragm pump



A. F. EELLs f DIAPHRAGM PUMP Filed O01". 25. 1.922`

Feb. 19, 41924` To all whom t may concern:

Patented Feb. 19,1924.

1U N IIT ED ESS .ALBERT F. EELLS, OF ROCHESTER,'NEW YRKQ DIAPI-IBAGM PU III-IE.l

Application filed 'october 25 i922. "serial No. '596,780.

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. Ennis, a citizen of the United States'and resident of Rochester, in the Vcounty of Monroe and State 'of New York have invented certain new and useful improvements "in :Dia-l phragm Pumps, of which the fol-lowing is a specification.

My invention'relates to diaphragm 'pumps and it has for its object to improve the construction of pumps of this class so as to enable more water to be raised at each stroke; to obtainm'aximum efciency and to provide for raising the water to av greater height than has'be'en possible with pumps of this kind as'heretoforeconstructed. It is also an object of myj invention to reduce to the minimum the strain and wear imposed upon'the diaphragm itself'thus lengthening the life thereof. A further object of my invention is to provide for convenient` and accurate assembling ofthe parts, particularly the diaphragm, as well as for correctly positioning the diaphragm when substitutin a new one, or angularly adjusting the 'aphragm from one position to another, as is frequently necessary with pumps of this kind and usually performed by unskilled persons.

With these Vobjects in view I propose to provide a two-part housing for the diaphragm between which the margin of the diaphragm is immovably clamped and confined, one of the sections of this housing having a supply conduit communicating with it that extends downwardly'to the water that is to be raised, and the other section of the housing having a .delivery conduit communicating with it which extends upwardly 'to the point of delivery. Within the delivery conduit is arranged a rod or the like connected at its lower end with the diaphragm and at its upper end with any suitable operating means, such as the usual lever, or with an engine. Thus each suction stroke of the diaphragm also positively lifts the column of water within the upper conduit at the same time that water is elevated withinl the lower conduit by air pressure, thereby greatly increasing the possible maximum lift which is limited only by the force available for working the pump.

Another Afeature of my inventionv consists in providing two `metal members which may be inthe form ofringsior disks, one at each side' of the diaphragm, to,: ;etherv withmeans for clamping said members and the *diaphragm firmly together, the sides or faces of said members adjacent the 'diaphragm -being beveled, crowned,r rounded, or 'otherwiseshaped, so that onlyv 'thejmiddle portion of the diaphragmv vis clamped between them, leaving the outer portion thereof free.l to bellyjor swing in opposite directions between the oppositelyjbjeveled or rounded faces of the members. yThus upon the up stroke of the diaphragm, the latter is forced to con-f form to 'the shape of the beveled ork rounded -1 lower member whichjacts to force v`,the free portion of the ydiaphragm upward further than hashe'retofore been the` case, 'and upon the down stroke the upper member acts in like'fashion to push the free portion of the diaphragm 'further downwards than has 'heretofore been lthe ca'se.` For the best effects these members may be made only slightly less in width or l'diameter than the v width or diameter of the diaphragm chamber. As will be clear these two members'not only serve to increase the capacity ofknpumps of this kind by reason of the fact t'hatitjhj'ey serve to fully distend the diaphragm Iateach end of its stroke, but. they also serve to support and reinforce the'(iliaphragm thus relievingI the latter of yinjurious strains and thereby lengthening its life. yOf. coursev only one member disposed upon the under side of the diaphragm, may be employed if desired,

with beneficial e'ect, but 'the 'maximum advantage is obtained by the useof two inembers, one at each side of the diaphragm.

Another .feature of vmy `invention consists in constructing a pump of this kind with a l two-part diaphragm housing 'betweeny which the margin of the diaphragm is clamped, the bottom section of A said housing being constructed with a pair "of diaphragm positioning pins occupying two of our equally spaced apertures provided through the marginal portion of the diaphragm. The advantage of this lconstructionis that the pins engaging the holes in the diaphragm serve to accurately position the latter in assem^- bling the structure and at the lsame time 'the eXtra pair" yof hles in the diaphraginpermit of adjust-ment of the diaphragm angularly when the'upper portioniof the apparatus is angularly adjusted as is frequently neces# sary in practice.` n

In 'the accompanyino: drawings: p'

Figure l is aside elevation, partly broken away, of a diaphragm pump @answered in Figure 2 is a `central vertical sectional view through the diaphragm housing of the -pump shown in Fig. l.

Figure 3 shows, in plan the diaphragm and a portion of the lower section of the diaphragm housing.

Having reference to the drawings, 5 and 6 represent the two sections of the twopart diaphragm housing referred to above, said sections `being herein shown as constructed with `flanges upon their outsides from which proj ect sloted lugs 6. The lugs 6 of the two sections register and the latter are firmly secured together by means of bolts 16 occupying the slots of lugs 6. The upper section 5 has its top wall formed with an interiorly threaded port into which is screwed the lower end of Aan upwardly extending delivery conduit 7 whosev upper end is screwed into the base of the pump head 9 that may be secured, as usual, in position upon the deck of the vessel or upon any other suitable support. The lower section 6 has its bottom wall made with an interiorly threaded outlet port into which isl screwed the threaded upper end of a supply or suction conduit 8 that extends downwardly into the hold o-f the Vessel, or into the body of water that is to be raised by the pump.

The diaphragm of the pump isshown at 3 and has its marginal portion clamped securely between the two sections 5 and 6 of the housing. At its middle this diaphragm is f formed with a port 17 surounded by an upstanding flange 18 integral with the diaphragm, the latter being made as usual from rubber, leather or any other suitable and flexible substance. The top of this upstanding flange 18 serves as a seat for a downwardly closing check valve 12 pivotally mounted upon the diaphragnnor upon the diaphragm structure, in the usual well known fashion, not illustrated here. Upon the top side of the diaphragm is a diaphragm supporting and reinforcing memberwhich has that side thereof which abuts the diaphragm crowned, rounded or otherwise made convex, to conform to the shape of the diaphragm when fully distended at the limit of its downward movement. Upon the under side of the diaphragm is a similar diaphragm reinforcing; and supporting y member 2 whose top side is a counter part of the under side of the upper member 1. These two members 1 and 2 are clamped securely to the diaphragm anchas will be clear from Figure 2 of the drawings, a considerable portion of the diaphragm between the marginal portion thereof that is clamped between the sections 5 and 6, and the middle portion, is left free to be flexed back and forth when the pump is operated. 1t will also be clear that this free flexed portion ofv the diaphragm is confined within a more or less 'il-shaped channel which the two members 1 and 2 provide between them'near their peripheries, and that said flexed portion of the diaphragm is free to swing back and forth within this V-shaped channel. It is to be noted further, that the members 1 and 2 are only slightly less in width or diameter than the interior of the diaphragm chamber and therefore, when the diaphragm has been moved to the limit of its movement in either direction, the member 1 or 2that is upon the concaved side thereof acts to fully distend the diaphragm to the limit of its slackness. In pumps of this kindv as heretofore constructed the free or flexed portion of the diaphragm between its clamped marginal portion and the clamped middle portion would tend to assume an upwardly crowned shape upon the down stroke and to assume a downwardly curved or convex shape upon the up stroke, each shape being maintained to the end of the stroke. On the other hand with my improved construction the member 1 acts during the down stroke of the diaphragm to fully distend the diaphragmv downwardly expelling through the port 17 a greaterk amount of water than heretofore. Also upon the upstroke the member 2 acts to fully distend the diaphragm upwardly thus increasing the lifting action and continuing the same at its maximum to the very limit of the up stroke. The sudden termination of the movement of the diaphragm when it reaches the limit of the up stroke while the column of water is in motion upwards, results in a continuation ofthe upward flow for an appreciable periodvof time after the upward movement of the diaphragm has ceased owing to the momentum of the column of water.

The diaphragm 3 is made near .its middle with two holes 19, 19 that register with holes 20 provided through the members 1 and 2. These holes are provided to accommodate threaded shanks 21 forming part of a yoke 10, the two members and the di-l aphragm being clamped rigidly together and to the yoke by means of nuts as shown. The yoke 10 has fastened to it the lower end of a connecting rod 11 that extends upwardly through the conduit 7. The upper end of this rod 11 is adapted, as shown in Figure 1, to be conected with the usual hand operated lever (not shown) or with other means by which the rod is reciproeated.

`Within the lower section 6 of the housing is pivotally mounted a second downwardly closing check valve .13 constructed and operating as usual.

Upon the outside of section 6, and at opposite sides thereof, are provided two lugs 22 within each of which ig permanently secured the lower end of a pin 4. Preferably said lower end is secured within the lug by casting the lug around the pin. Each pin '4;

ly spaced apertures 14 provided through the marginal portion of the diaphragm 3, and has lts upper' end disposed within a hole or socket 15 provided in' a lug cast upon the exterior' of upper section 5. Each aperture 14 is formed through a tang or ear 22 provided at the periphery of the diaphragm and four uniformly spaced sockets 15 are provided on the upper sections 5 of the housing. It will therefore be clear that the diaphragm 3 and all of the parts of the apparatus above and connected with it may, through the construction just described, be angularly adjusted so as to occupy any one of four positions. This capacity for adjustment is particularly advantageous when incorporated in pumps otherwise constructed as heretofore.

What I claim is:

l. In a diaphragm pump, the combination of a two-part diaphragm housing, a diaphragm having its outer marginal portion clamped between the two parts of the housing, and means carried b-y one part of the housing and extended through openings in the diaphragm and in the opposed part of the housing, one part of the housing having pins rigid in the marginal edge thereof and means cooperating with said pins for angular adjustment of the diaphragm.

2. In a diaphragm pump, the combination of a two-part diaphragm housing, a diaphragm having its outer marginal lportion clamped between the two parts of the housing, means carried by one part of the housing and extended through openings in the diaphragm and in the opposed part of the housing one .part of the housing having pins rigid in the marginal edge thereof, and means co-operating with said pins for angular adjustment of the diaphragm relatively to one of the housing parts.

3. In a diaphragm pump, the combination of a two-part diaphragm housing, a centrally disposed diaphragm therein having a centrally disposed valve, diaphragm supporting and reinforcing members upon opposite sides of the diaphragm with their adjacent faces oppositely curved, a yoke carrying a connecting rod, means depending from and rigid with said yoke for securing said members to the diaphragm adjacent the central port therein, a valve adapted to seat upon the wall of the opening of the diaphragm, a piston head connected to said diaphragm and members adjacent the valve seat, pins rigid with one part of said housing and means cooperating with said pins permitting angular adjustment of the diaphragm relatively to one of the housing sections.

4. In a diaphragm pump, the combination of a diaphragm housing, pins rigid with one section thereof, means cooperating with said pins, a centrally disposed diaphragm therein having a centrally disposed valve seat, said pins and means providing for angular adjustment of the diaphragm, diaphragm supporting and reinforcing members upon opposite sides of the diaphragm with their adjacent faces oppositely curved, a yoke carrying the connecting rod, means depending from and rigid with said yoke and securing said members to the diaphragm adjacent a central port therein, a valve adapted to seat upon the wall of the opening of the diaphragm, and a piston head connected to said diaphragm and members adjacent the valve head, said housing being of separable sections between which the periphery of the diaphragm is disposed and means for angular adjustment of the diaphragm relatively to one of said sections. v

5. In a two-part diaphragm pump, the combination of a diaphragm housing, pins rigid with one section thereof, means coope erating with said pins a centrally disposed diaphragm therein having a centrally disposed valve seat, said pins and means'providing for angular adjustment of the diaphragm, diaphragm supporting and reinforcing members upon opposite sides of the diaphragm with their adjacent faces oppositely curved, a yoke carrying the connecting rod, means depending from and rigid with said yoke and securing ysaid members to the diaphragm adjacent a central port therein, a valve adapted to seat upon the wall of the opening of the diaphragm, and a piston head connected to said diaphragm and members adjacent the valve head, said valve being centrally disposed with relation to and seated directly upon the diaphragm and means for angular adjustment of the diaphragm relatively to one of said sections. 6. In a diaphragm pump the combination of a two-part diaphragm housing; a diaphragm having its outer marginal portion clamped between the two sections of said housing and a pair of diaphragm positioning pins carried by the lower section of said housing, said diaphragm being formed with apertures through which said pins extend. 7. In a diaphragm pump, the combination of a two-part diaphragm housing; a diaphragm having its outer marginal portion clamped between the two sections of said housing and a pair of diaphragm positioningpins carried by the lower section of said housing, said diaphragm being formed with a plurality of pairs of apertures to receive said pins with provision for angular adjustment of the diaphragm relatively to said lower section. I

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

`ALBERT F. EELLS. 

